Beach Blanket Babylon Is Simply FABULOUS!

A night of laughter and tears from laughing so hard.

San Francisco is home to many famous and infamous attractions but without a doubt the one that causes the most joy and laughter has to be the World’s longest-running musical revue, Steve Silver’s Beach Blanket Babylon. I’ve certainly heard about the show many times, but it didn’t occur to me to go until I discovered Club Fugazi by accident during a walk in North Beach. How could I not call up and get some tickets, it’s singing, dancing, outlandish costumes, a bit of Drag and some rather biting political commentary. It sounds like watching a Cable News show but with more singing. How much fun, I’m in. It didn’t take much convincing to bring my friends Geoffrey and Daniel along even though they been a few times before. The show is always changing and unless you go two nights in a row the show is always fresh. So it’s settled, it’s dinner and a show to end my 30 Days In SF adventures.

Club Fugazi is the name of the theatre that is home to Steve Silver’s Beach Blanket Babylon. It couldn’t be easier to find in North Beach, just look for 678 Beach Blanket Boulevard and you are there.

The show starts at 8pm which means that the boys and I are going to grab a little bite to eat before the show. It’s a revue which means we’ll be able to drink while we enjoy the show but we must eat before otherwise my stomach will growl throughout the entire performance. Since we are in North Beach there is only one choice for dinner and that has to be Italian. After checking over all the options we settle upon Piazza Pellegrini which is a short 5 minute walk away from Club Fugazi at 659 Columbus Ave. We start with the Antipasto Italiano, a couple of Pizzas for the boys and Fettuccine all’ Amatriciana with Gino’s famous Meatballs. A true Italian feast that was absolutely perfect. I could eat antipasto every day of my life and be very happy but once I tasted the pizza and the pasta I was in heaven.

Our bellies are full, and I mean full. I had to pack a doggie bag I couldn’t eat anymore. Off to Club Fugazi we go.

Unfortunately just like every theatre I’ve ever been to I wasn’t allowed to take photos so I’m having to use some that were given to me by the production company. It’s too bad because our seats were amazing and I would have been able to get some great shots. As it was we took our seats, ordered a bottle of Champagne and waited for the show to begin.

For over 40 years this show has been running and the way it stays relevant is by constantly updating itself and incorporating the “hot topics” of the day. So the show we saw will be completely different than the one you see. Once the show starts so do your feet. From the moment the first actor appears and the first song is sung you are smiling and tapping your toes.

Over the next 1.5 hours they don’t stop. It’s one outrageous costume after another. There is always an actor on stage performing and before you know it the rest are out in a brand new set of clothes that they’ve changed into faster than I can change my mind. Bam it’s a new scene. If it is new and hot then chances are good it has been worked into the show.

I haven’t laughed that much, long or hard in ages. My hands were sore from clapping so hard at the finale which simply blows you away. Imagine hats wider than you are tall and taller than you are wide, that is what they wear out for the final number. It is FABULOUS! I can’t show you what I saw but check out this clip for their 2014 New Years Eve performance. It’s great on screen but it’s fantastic in person.

It doesn’t matter if you’ve gone once or a thousand times, you’ll always have a great time at Beach Blanket Babylon and if you’ve never been then you need to fix that and GO! This is a must do when you are in San Francisco, at least once anyway. It’s been playing for over 40 years and there is a reason for that. Hell even Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall have gone and seen it.

30 Days In SF Over the course of 30 posts I’m exploring Where to Stay, Where to Eat and Drink and What to Do in San Francisco and the Bay area. I won’t get to everything awesome but I welcome your suggestions and if I don’t get to it on this visit there is always the next time!

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About Author

Marc Smith is a former event planner turned vagabond adventurer. He loves strong Americano's, great wine, cold beer and zip lining over tree tops.
Formerly of Vancouver, most of Marc's time when not travelling is in Canada's largest city, Toronto. Follow along on his nomad adventures and discover places to stay, things to do and where to eat & drink as he explores the world one city and region at a time.